Non-explosive tank.



C- H. WOLFE & J. HEIMLICH.

NON-EXPLOSIVE TANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAFLB. 1913.

1,150,089. PatentedAug'. 17,1915.

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'EDRT CLINTON, OHIO.

Replication 111cc March 5, 1913.

To all w/mm 52 may concern.

it known we. CI-IAHLES H. and Jens HR MLICH. citizens of the United States. residing at Port Qlinton, in the county of Ottawa and State of @l'iio, have invented certain neuand ful Improvements in Nondixplosive To I of which the following is a, cificution.

our l3 Jentlon relates to non-explosive tanks and has object the orc an iin -oved non ezaplosi whicu shall have i inroi'cd means for protecting its con lents 'rrom explosion \Vith the above and other objects in View, this invention consists substantially in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, which form c. part of this specification and illustrate the preferred embodiment of our invention and more specifically set forth in the suhjoined claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is :1 top plan view of our invention; 2 section taken approximately on of Fig. 1; Fig.

ll onss the line 3 is a View of a portion of Fig. 2 showing different position oi? the parts; Fig. l is a, View of :1 portion of l igv 2 showing another position of the ports.

Our non-explosive liftllli lS well adapted for containing gusoleue, naphtha and other 'YOlillZllC explosive oils.

Heretoiiore non-explosive tanks have been constructed with followers for contacting with and covering the surface of the liquid within the tank and such followers have been so loose as to he sily jarred into a position Where they would stick between the sides of the tank, thus failing to perform their function of following and ullowingthc liquid to be drawn from the tank and a considerable amount of air inserted in the tank above the level of the liquid and below the follower. Likewise, these followers have been so constructed that when the tank was carried on a moving vehicle, or stood upon any other moving oh ect adapted. to

'ture of nonexplosive tanks by providing a.

is vertical Patented A11 17, 1915.

$eria1No. 752,895.

lower supplied with means whereby the l The cover for our tank consists of a hol lonfloat lb, pro deal with a funnelshaped aperture. 14 for the purpose of gaining 20 cess to the interior of the tank. A stopper 15 seals the aperture 14 against the Jess sage of air. The shape and diameter tl float l3 approximate the shape and diam eter of the interior or" the tank 10. Thai terior ofthe hollow floatl3 is prefer'uh sealed from comniunication gwith, the Two cupped Washers 16 and 17, secuiie the float by means of so annular-rete l 7 3T7. serve to seal the interior ofthetunli... against communication 'froniu'ithout. the Washer 16 preferably elztenzling and the Washer 1'? extending upward.

retainer 18 hearts upturnedfoe. flange 19, which maintains a poi- Washer 17' in Contact with the body 1on1? tank. The contactsurface between the ho 10 of the tank and the Washers l? and; is of sul'licient depth to prevent anytil of the float l3 and consequent sticking i i jamming of the float in the tank. l?lars*2,,- sttachetl in any suitable manner tolthefioiit, v o and preferably at diametrically opposite" which are pivoted slotted handles 22 having outwardly exposed friction surfaces 23 contacting with the inner surface of the body 10 of the tank. The pivot slots of these handles are indicated by reference numeral 2 1*. The upper portion ofthese handles is preferably pierced, as at 25, to afiord ready -means for the insertion of the hand of the operator. Formed upon these handles and preferably at the lower end of the friction surface thereof are downwardly extendiug hooks 26. The horizontal studs 23. en-

gage the slots 24 of the handles and the handles are free to oscillate about the studs "in a. vertical plane. When, for the purpose of fillinglhe tank or for any other reason.

I it is .desired to maintain the float 13 at the top of the tank, the handles 22 are grasped by the operator, the float 13 lifted to the top of the tank and the hooks 26 passed over the top or rim 12, as shown in Fig. 3. When the tank is filled, or when it is desired that the float 13 shall contact withthe upper surface of the liquid within the tank and descend .therewith, the handles are unhooke'd from the rim 12 and allowed to drop into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this position the friction surfaces 23 contact with the inner surface of the body of the tank, passing readily down with the float 13 but binding tightly between the body 10 of the tank and the studs 21 when any upward pressure is exerted upon the float 13 other than a direct upward pull upon the handles. Thus, it will be seen that the floflt 13 while free to descend with the upper sfiirface of the liquid in the tank is prevented from ascending by means of the friction just described. If desired, the handles 22 may be dropped back against 2 the float 13 out of contact with the inner surface of the body of the t.nk, as shown in Fig. 4. This leaves the float 13 free to ascend or descend.

It should be understood that when the so hooks 26 are released from the upper edge ;of the tank and occupy the positions shown in Fig. 2 the friction surfaces 23 operate automatically to exert a clutching or braking effect on the interior surface of the tank.

. These automatic friction brakes or clutches J may be initially so adjusted as to sufliciently retard any tendency of the float to move upwardly off the liquid in the tank when the latter is swayed about or 1' arred. But whatever the degree of binding between the sur faces 23 and the interior surface of the tank 10the clutches or brakes will be readily released whenever the floatis free todescend,

as when liquid is withdrawn from the discharge-opening 29 or from the funnel opening 14. Whenever the rings 25 are grasped 1 by hand and pulled upwardly the'friction surfaces 23 will be immediately releastiland' the'float 13 can ,be lifted without beingfred tardedexcept by the washer-s16 and 17 en-.

gaging the inner surface of the-tank 10. Whenever desired the float 23 Hmay be pushed down on top ofthe liquid in the tank, which willtendto force the liquid out through the funnel aperture 14;, particularly when the stopper 15 is removed. Any

suitable device may besubstituted for the stoppers 15 when it is desired to withdraw a the liquid from the 'tank- 10 by pressing down on the float 13. It should also be observed that our construction is not for the glrpose of pro viding a non-refillable can, h ut for thepiirpose of providing a non-explosive tank, including a follower as a,cover, which will prevent any air space above the liquid bythe provision of removable or releasable automatic locks, friction brakes or clutches, as described,

Upon the inner surface of the body 10 of the tank, we provide graduations 27, so that when any convenient fixed point upon the float registers with one of them the number of units of liquid remaining in the-tank will be indicated.

At 28 is indicated any convenient handle to assist in the removal or insertion of the stopper 15, and at 29 is shown any convenient mean for discharging the liquid from the tank, while at 30 is indicated any desirable device for attaching the tank to an- 30 other object, such as a gasolene stove or a gasolene engine.

In the accompanying drawings and in the foregoing description are set forth the preferred embodiments of our invention, but it 35 is obvious that one skilled in the artmay make modifications of the same without departing from the principles of the invention.

:We claim: I

1. In a non-explosive tank for carrying inflammable fluids, the combination with a container, of a follower floating on the liquid in said tankand. sealing its upper surface from the atmosphere, brake mecha- 96 nisin carried by said follower near the periphery thereof and co-acting directly with the inner surface of said container to prevent upward movement of the follower oif the surface ofsaid liquid but permitting 1 free descent thereof when liquid is with drawn from said container, and means for mahually releasing said brake mechanism when the follower is lifted prior to re-filling said container.

2.,The combination with a container for liquids, .of afollower therein, a clutch menr ber provided with a slot, aefulcrum mounted. on said follower :and engaging said slot, and means for enabling said clutch member to be graspedby hand. to release the same.

The combinationwith a container for liquids, of a follower therein, a plurality of friction brake devices each provided with a slot, a plurality of fulcrums mounted on said follower one for each of said slots, a

plurality of rings one connected to each of said brake devices to enable the latter to I be released manually on the follower being liftedgby said fulcrums, and a plurality of hooks,-'oneconnected to each of said rings for engaging the upper end of the container to effect the suspension of a follower near theupper end of said container.

4. The combination with a tank for liquids, of a floating follower therein, means for sealing the liquid in a tank from the outside air, a plurality of eccentrically pivoted friction devices mounted on said folglower and permitting free descent of said v floating follower when liquid is discharged from the tank but automatically braking any tendencyof the follower to move upwardly.

5. The combination with a container for 1 liquids, of 'a follower therein, a plurality of friction brakes pivotally mounted on said follower and engaging the inner surface of. the container permitting the follower to descend with the top of the liquid but preventing 'upward movement of the follower through any force exerted on the liquid in the container, s'aid brakes being adapted to be manually disengaged from the container to permit upward movement of the follower.

6. The combination with a container for liquids, of a follower in said container adapted to be supported by liquid in the latter, handles, each having a slot therein, fulcrums mounted on said container and each fulcrum passing through one of said slots providing a pivotal pointfor one of the handles, there being friction surfaces on the handles adapted to engage the inner side of the container when the fulcrums are at one set of corresponding ends of the slots and permit the follower to descend with the liquid in the container but lock such follower against ascending through any force exerted through the liquid.

7. In a non-explosive tank for containing inflammable fluids, the combination with a container, of a follower capable of floating on the liquid in said container and fitting in said container to seal the upper surface of said liquid from the atmosphere, and brake mechanism carried by said follower and co acting with the inner surface of said container to prevent upward movement of the follower oil the surface of said liquid, but permitting free descent of said follower when liquid is withdrawn from said container.

8. In' a non-explosive tank foriniiammable fluids, the combination with a'container' 'entirely open at one end, a hollow follower capable of floating on'liquid in said tank and fitting in said container to seal the liquid in said container from the atmosphere, anda plurality of friction, brakes carried by said follower and co-acting with the inner surface of said container to prevent upward movement of said follower, but permitting free descent thereof, said brakes being I movement of said follower when the liquid in the container is jolted but permitting free descent of said follower when the liquid is withdrawn from said container, manually operated means for releasing said braLke mechanism and permitting the lifting of said follower, and hooks connected to said manually operated means for engaging the upper edges of said container and holding the follower near the upper end of said container during the filling operation of said container. i

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. WOLFE.' JOHN HEIMLICH;

\Vitnesses:

i .L -:x JOHNSON, Pit Z, OHLEMACIIUS. 

